The problem: The neutron is an excellent laboratory for
studying weak interaction physics.
No more than a handful of parameters govern the neutron's decay and its
interaction via the weak force with other neutrons and protons.
During the past 50 years a series of increasingly precise neutron-based
experiments have led to an understanding of the role that the weak
force plays in the Standard Model of Electroweak Interactions. This model has been phenomenally successful. Today there are proposals for new experiments that are designed to probe the Standard Model with unprecedented accuracy.
In some cases one has learned how to reduce the systematic effects
present in previous experiments to the point where their precision
would be limited by statistics if run again. In
order to continue probing the Standard Model one must increase the
incident neutron flux (this is critically important considering the
length of time required to carry out needed measurements) and better
accommodate the increasingly important environmental needs of these
experiments, including constraints on acceptable background magnetic
fields and radiation, cryogenic requirements, polarization requirements
and space requirements. In addition it is important
that new capabilities such as a highly efficient ultra-cold neutron
source (UCNS) are also developed for a new class of fundamental physics
experiments. A suitably designed new beamline will address all of these needs.

The Physics End Station Solution:
A new beamline will be constructed using state of the art supermirror
and focusing technologies to achieve many fold increase in neutron
throughput compared to what is currently available at NG-6 fundamental
physics station. Its neutron beam will be well
characterized in terms of uniformity and wavelength distribution
because some experiments are sensitive to these factors.
There will be inline polarization capability for experiment needing
polarized neutrons. Just as important as the increased neutron flux
will be the environment made available to each experiment. The ambient magnetic field and field gradients will be small enough to accommodate the most sensitive experiment foreseen.
There will be sufficient space to incorporate additional shielding
should an experiment's background requirements necessitate it.
Finally, the experimental area will be designed to accommodate
experiments that are physically larger than those that can be
accommodated today. This will be accomplished by
making more available floor space available and by constructing a pit
to accommodate vertically spread experiments. The
first experiment expected to be carried out on this beam line is called
aCORN which stands for "a CORrelation in Neutron decay".
For its ultimate success aCORN will require as much neutron flux as
possible, low backgrounds, low ambient magnetic fields, and
considerable physical space. The aCORN experiment is
expected to be followed by many high profile fundamental physics
experiment, such as a search for time-reversal violation in neutron
beta decay, neutron spin rotation in deuterium or hydrogen, radiative
decay of the neutron, proton asymmetry in neutron beta decay, and the
free neutron lifetime. A brief description of aCORN is given below.

The aCORN experiment:The aCORN experiment is designed to measure
the correlation between the outgoing electron and anti-neutrino
directions in unpolarized neutron beta-decay (a schematic is shown
below). Since the anti-neutrino cannot bemeasured
directly, its direction is inferred by detecting the proton in
coincidence with the electron in 180° low solid angle geometry
relative to the neutron beam. When the anti-neutrino
is traveling towards the proton detector, conservation of momentum
implies that the proton momentum is lower than it is for the case where
it is traveling towards the electron detector. A
histogram of the time delay between proton and electron arrival versus
electron energy reveals two groups corresponding to these two cases. The numerical asymmetry between these two groups for a given range of electron energy is proportional to the correlation.
A series of collimators and 25 solenoids together serve to limit the
maximum accepted transverse momentum for protons and electrons thereby
simplifying the analysis. If the new beamline
achieves its goals, aCORN has the potential to measure the asymmetry
with accuracy comparable to that achieved in experiments requiring
polarized neutrons. The systematic effects in these
two classes of experiment will be very different, making a comparison
of their respective results extremely significant.

A photograph of the aCORN apparatus sitting on the NG-6 beam line
where it took data for several months up until the long reactor
shutdown. What was learned from the collected data will permit us to
move a better functioning apparatus to our new beam line, one that is
capable of taking advantage of the new beam's intense neutron flux. It
is there that we can achieve our desired statistical uncertainty.

aCORN wishbone data and Monte Carlo. On the y axis is plotted the
time of flight between the neutron decay electron and proton; on the x
axis is plotted the energy of the electron. Over a large electron
energy range, two time of flight groups are seen. The upper (lower)
branch corresponds to events where the electron antineutron is traveling
in the same (opposite) direction as the proton. The desired asymmetry
is simply the number asymmetry in the two branches as a function of
electron energy. The Monte Carlo calculation is in excellent agreement
with the experimental data.